The Special Use permit application was approved for roughly (53) acres of the total (84+) acre lot which has been divided into (3) separate lots.
Lot (A): Orange Tennis Club (OTC)
Provided OTC can raise the funding to buy / lease and develop this segment of the overall lot, they will become new neighbors to the Lawrence Road community.
Lot (B): Hillsborough Youth Athletic Association (HYAA)
Provided HYAA can raise the funding to buy / lease and develop this segment of the overall lot, they will also be new neighbors to the Lawrence Road community.
Lot (C): Still to be determined.
Now that this Special Use permit has been ultimately approved, let me be clear on this one point. I am not in the least bit against recreational activities and facilities that are needed to support them. ESPECIALLY when it comes to kids! However, and this is where my ultimate concern lies, I (a number of us) firmly believe that this site was the wrong location for a number of reasons. Ultimately those reasons were not eligible to be heard last night at the Board of Adjustment hearing. I accept the reasoning as to why and, accordingly, I will express my opinion about the overall “Special Use” permit process to the Board of County Commissioners by sending an email to the following address: I hope you will join me, if you agree. OR, even if you don’t.
ocbocc@orangecountync.gov
Make no mistake…this Lawrence Road decision will set the precedent for the next version of a Lawrence Road type debate in Orange County. Perhaps in your neighborhood? In the end, I hope you appreciate that our / public voices mattered. By way of examples… this is what our efforts avoided.
1) The town of Hillsborough did not have an obligation to readjust its infrastructure, planning and tax payer funding priorities in order to accommodate the initial rezoning request for this Lawrence Road property.
2) Orange County tax payers are not going to have to fund and otherwise support an additional school(s) which is not presently needed.
These two things, which are not trivial matters in the least, were avoided because you all (and more) noticed and took action! Next time? Well… this I know. Complacency, especially when it comes to political matters usually doesn’t end well for those who expect that things will just work out fine. That thought was further reinforced in me along the way here. Why not give it a try as I chose to (if you haven’t already subscribed to the very same thought)? Here’s a list to start with, which was provided to me by a woman whom I have gained immense respect for along the way:
Participate in the (2) year process to update the Comprehensive Plan. That's the document the Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) uses to determine if a development or zoning proposal is consistent or inconsistent. It's being call the Land Use 2050 Plan. https://www.orangecountylanduseplan.com/ In the News & Updates middle of the page, the first bullet point "clicking here" to give input. Residents are encouraged to do this!!
Consider giving input about US 70 W Corridor (from mebane to durham) there are three upcoming meetings at different locations so consider attending one that is convenient. The idea is to figure out what improvements are needed to make this corridor street across the county safe. https://orangecountync.gov/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=1083 It's good to have input from folks who live and drive/bike in that area.
A convenient way to stay informed is to sign up for the Friday newsletter This Week in Orange County at this link https://www.orangecountync.gov/1561/Electronic-Newsletters . Also, BOCC agendas as well as other BOCC content can be found here:
https://www.orangecountync.gov/953/Board-of-County-Commissioners-BOCC
A lot to send your way, I know. BUT… here’s one more thing… THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU! Not only for listening to me along the way but for your willingness to remain engaged in some form or fashion.
Be well!
Matt